500 Miles
by Kumiperuna
Summary: A small oneshot I wrote for Narutos upcoming birthday. Naruto hates his birthdays and his friends decide to drag him out for the day, but what when the person he misses the most shows up?


I OWN NOTHING! :D

Nothing special. Just a birthay oneshot, written when a tad sad and really tired. Probably full of typos, I hope at least some of you can enjoy it =)

* * *

"Happy birthday!" was happily slammed against my face the first thing in the morning as I woke up . A little confused and out of place, I rubbed my eyes and tried to focus my sleepy vision to see what had so brutally injured my ears, and saw a blotch of light pink about four inches away from my face. Once again shocked by the surprising closeness I backed away as fast as I could and it resulted in me banging my head against the wall behind my bed... It was going to grow a bump and most likely hurt for the whole day. This day was not going to go well...

"Sakura-chan, what the hell makes you break into my bedroom and try to kill me on this horrid morning?" I asked her as I rubbed the back of my head and did my best to angrily glare at her.

"Horrid morning? Did you just hear what I said before?" She giggled, with a bright smile on her face. The thing was, I had very clearly recognized the horrible statement and it made it all the worse. I had plans on staying in and sleeping for the whole Sunday... I really had bad luck with my birthdays, as you can tell by now, but she would most likely be very worried if I wasn't bursting of joy within the next ten seconds... So I answered;

"No, I was too busy trying to keep my heart beating after the attempt at murder."

"Well in that case; it's your birthday, you idiot and people are waiting outside!"

All I could do was gape. No one usually did anything for me on my birthday and now she was claiming there were more people than her to somehow remind me of the sad fact that I had lived through another year of not being able to bring Sasuke back or become Hogake. This could not turn out well... I tried not to look as devastated as I felt at that very moment and smiled brightly at her.

"Who? And why did you break in?" I hope she couldn't hear the demanding tone that had sneaked into the "who"...

"Shikamaru, Choji, Neji, Hinata, Lee and even Ino. Gaara said he couldn't make it as he had some Kazekage-business to take care of and I didn't break in; you had left the door open. Get up already and dress up. We're going to treat you to ramen!" Damn... I couldn't pretend to be sick if it was ramen I was dealing with, too bad Gaara couldn't make it though, he would have been a great bore and everyone would have been a bit calmer... Seriously, didn't all of them have something better to do? I hadn't remembered any of their birthdays either. Ramen.. Hummm...

"Geez fine, what's the hurry?" I asked retorically as I stumbled out from my bed and picked up the clothes from the floor and hopefully dressed myself correctly.

I finished and Sakura dragged me out where I was greeted by a bunch of happy smiles. They all congradulated me and I thanked them and we left to Ichiraku Ramen. The highlight of the day.

* * *

No one really talked much during the walk there, but when we reached the small food-place we all sat down and people began chatting to each other of pointless things, while I ordered a comforting bowl of miso-ramen and sulked in the right corner.

Why I hated my birthdays so much? It had always been like that. When I was a kid I was jealous of others birthdays they spent with their families and no one ever remembered me. I think it's mostly because of that, but then Team 7 celebrated everyones birthdays and that became really important to me. We'd always go to the hot-springs and eat really well and spend some time together... Then Sasuke left and the tradition died out and since then there had been no more birthday celebrating and now the day reminded me of the loss of my best friend. Sure it was nice now that they all remebered and bothered to try to cheer me up. I think they all noticed how I always stay in on the 10th of October and am not my usual cheery self, but I must say that this is not helping at all... For the four past years I had learned not to really think about it and now they were all there and it kept reminding me of the thing I wanted to avoid.

I really hoped they would leave soon. I ordered another bowl and ate it gladly and watched the others chat with each other.

I finished after a while and stood up. Thanked them all for the meal, which they had paid for me. Too bad I wasn't more hungry... And informed them that I would go home now.

Sakura looked at me like I was insane and then I heard the week-ruining line of;

"Oh don't you dare, we're going to the hot-springs and the park now... This day is all for you." I felt like a part of my soul died at that very moment. I wanted to go to sleep, but apparently I was supposed to be the happy birthday-boy for the whole day. Kill me now...

I finally got to slam the door of my small flat close and fall on the bed. It was dark already and I was exhausted. Sure it had been fun and relaxing in the hot springs but I was really not in the mood to enjoy anything...

It was already dark and I didn't bother switching the light on, but I sat in the bed and gazed out of the small windows. I could see starts and I began thinking.

I missed him, but then again who wouldn't miss their best friend who they haven't really met in four years and have no idea of how they're doing or even if they're alive.

He had been and still was the most important person in my life, as he was my real first friend I knew that he's an ass, but he's a nice ass, who will always help no matter what and be there for you, but then he dissappeared and since that I've known that it wasn't true. He wouldn't be there for me in the hard times, as he causes them. Isn't it funny that I haven't talked to him properly in years and he's the person who causes all the little angst I have in my life.

I sighed and remembered my birthdays in the past. He'd come over and we'd just randomly sit and talk about nothing...

Leaning back on the bed I slowly felt myself drifting to sleep and my eyes wet from the painful memories and day... I was half-asleep and sobbing...

I felt a small gush of wind and looked up... Everything was blurry, but I could see a figure leaning against the frame of the now open window. I focused my gaze and blinked a few times... I was dreaming and I knew that. This happened way too often, but this time the person looked different from the times before... Older...

He began walking towards me and finally sat silently on the edge of the bed. I just looked at him like nothing out of the ordinary.

"I remembered it was your seventeenth birthday", he said with a small smile on his pale lips. I didn't bother saying anything as I knew he would dissappear soon...

"Hn." He looked at me with his dark eyes and reached out to touch my cheek lightly. His hand connected with my skin and I felt the warmth of his touch...

My eyes widened and I sat up as fast as a bolt of lightning and stared at him in disbelief...

"Dobe... You should have trusted me never to leave you... I will always be here and you know it", he said softly and I felt the tear finally rolling down my cheek.

"Sasuke..."

"Happy birthday, Naruto..."

I reached out and hugged him softly... and since then I never let go of him, like he was a life-line... and he stayed... Forever...


End file.
